ON THE SITUATION IN SULU AND BASILAN
The
ambush and killing yesterday of 20 AFP troops in Sulu by suspected
members of the Abu Sayyaf Brigade raises concern about the situation in
the South today.
Within just one month, the
nation’s elite troops have twice suffered heavily at the hands of the
forces of terror. Last July 10, 24 of our Marines were similarly
ambushed and killed in Basilan.
While we
offer our sympathies to the families of the fallen, we have to look
more closely into why our troops are suffering this high level of
casualties. I believe Congress and the public deserve to know more
about the real situation in the South so that appropriate adjustments –
whether in policy or program or material or logistics – can be made,
and better support to our troops can be provided.
If
I may offer an unsolicited advice, I suggest that the Commander in
Chief, joined by leaders of the Senate and the House of
Representatives, call for a top-level briefing on the situation from
the AFP high command and commanders in the field.
We
have to know how our policy is really faring in Mindanao and Sulu, the
adequacy of support for our troops, the quality of intelligence they
are receiving, the state of troop morale, and the general climate for
peace and order in the affected areas.
It
is also fitting to inquire into how military action against the
terrorist bands can be matched by socio-economic and civic action to
truly alleviate conditions in the South, so that more among our Muslim
brothers can be brought within the protection of the State.
This
is not a question of assigning blame or pointing fingers. This is just
a matter of how we can all pull together for the improvement of the
situation in the South.
